Autokrator Nikolaos Dies - June 2808Earlier this morning, Autokrator Nikolaos Sebastos Basileus passed away due to complications resulting from a surgical procedure. Kalopia's first monarch since the fateful 2737 Revolution, the
Autokrator, or Emperor, was recognized as a fierce symbol of Kalopian nationalism, and seen by many as an embodiment of Kalopian values. Before coming to the throne, Nikolaos Ballantynos was a wealthy minor Kalopian noble and a career diplomat, highly respected in pro-Monarchist circles. He initially advocated for the restoration of the monarchy through the person of his older brother, General Penrod Ballantynos, a senior officer in the Kalopian Army and first leader of the Imperial Patriotic Front, but reluctantly took up his brother's mantle after depression-caused suicide. Elected Grand Secretariat of the Imperial Lands in 2791, Nikolaos was not crowned Autokrator until December of 2795, at which point, he adopted the imperial titles of Sebastos and Basileus. His ten-year reign lasted until 2805, when he was ousted in what some have alleged was a socialist hijacking of the legislative process, was regarded as a period of growth in Kalopia's military power and international clout. At the time of his death, Autokrator Nikolaos still laid claim to the throne, and, from his villa in the Mossavi countryside, served at the helm of the political powerhouse that is the Imperial Patriotic Front, but was not legally recognized as the monarch of Kalopia.
Nikolaos Ballantynos, one time Autokrator of the Imperial Lands, appearing at a session of the Koinoboulio in his capacity as the National Chairman of the IPF, just days before his passingArrangements for a state funeral have been made. Autokrator Nikolaos will be afforded a military escort with full honors and interred at the private Ballantynos family cemetery, located at the chapel of one of family's estates in Hondilton. Heads of state, government ministers, and distinguished diplomats from across the globe, as well as leaders from all Kalopian major political parties, have been invited to the affair and most are expected to be in attendance at the funeral.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Patriotic Front has begun to look forward, to its role in a Kalopia without Autokrator Nikolaos. Thanasis Rigas has been selected National Chairman of the Imperial Patriotic Front, replacing the Autokrator as the political leader of the Front. Mr. Rigas is one of the few high-ranking members of the Front who does not stem from an aristocratic background. Born to a Minosasan sailor and his wife, Mr. Rigas entered the Kalopian Army as an enlisted man at the age of 16, but worked his way up into the officer corps, where he became a distinguished General, leading elements of the Kalopian Army in GPO conflicts in both Kafuristan and Pontesi. A political ally and close personal friend of Nikolaos, he served as the Autokrator's Minister of Defense. Mr. Rigas is seen by many as a solid political mind and his working class background is expected to expand the Front's base beyond the aristocratic and middle classes. Mr. Rigas is currently expected to stand for election as First Minister in 2810.
On the other side of the Autokrator's legacy, the Imperial Patriotic Front has chosen to stand behind Konstantinos Vasilliou to succeed Autokrator Nikolaos as the claimant to the throne of Kalopia. Vasilliou, a close cousin of Nikolaos, and fellow aristocrat, is a graduate of the University of Polykratos, where he studied history, and of the Imperial College of Law. Vasilliou served as a local official in his native province of Mossavi, and served as its Exarch under Autokrator Nikolaos. He briefly served as a volunteer rifleman in the pro-PPKD parimilitary forces when the Kafuri Civil War of 2800 broke out. Over the past few years, the man has been working closely with the Imperial Patriotic Front, to restore the monarchy. Konstantinos, who has adopted the post-nomial imperial titles of Sebastos and Basileus, has chosen not to utilize the title of Autokrator. He has instead chosen to be addressed by the lesser title of Kaisar, stating that he will not allow a formal coronation as Autokrator to occur until the government of Kalopia reverts back to a constitutional monarchy.